This invention relates to a container lid and more particularly to a container lid having a reclosable tear strip defining an opening through which the contents of the container may be discharged.
Disposable containers are used widely in the convenience food industry where prepackaged foodstuffs are transported, stored and even cooked in the same container. Beverages, in particular, are commonly dispensed in disposable containers which are generally provided with a cover or lid that may serve several useful functions. After a beverage container is filled the container is easily closed using a known lid to prevent spilling the contents as when a beverage is purchased at a retail counter and taken by the purchaser for subsequent consumption. This is the usual case when coffee, soft drinks, and the like are sold at sports events, theaters and any other similar function where the general public may gather.
The container lid is adapted to provide a good seal along the circumferential edge of a sidewall that defines the open end of a container. Apart from a small vent aperture in the lid that is used to equalize the interior pressure of the container with its surrounding environment, the seal formed at the edge is normally adequate to prevent leaks. When a beverage is purchased at a counter and then taken, as to a seat in a stadium, the likelihood of a spill while being jostled in the crowd is thus minimized. In the event that the beverage is to be consumed while being taken to the seat, spills may also be prevented by using a straw that is forced through a frangible portion of the lid. A relatively good seal is maintained by the fit of the straw through the lid so that leakage at this area as well as at the vent aperture is minimal. It is therefore unlikely that a major spill would occur.
A problem exists, however, when a beverage is consumed directly from the cup without using a straw. Consumption of certain liquids, such as beer, requires direct consumption rather than consumption through a straw due to the very nature of the beverage. In this situation there is a strong likelihood of spilling the beverage onto a neighbor in the envent of being severely jostled in the crowd since the container lid would normally be removed. Spills are minimized using known container lids that incorporate tear strips which are readily removed to expose a discharge opening. A problem that can be experienced with this form of container lid occurs when transporting the container and its beverage with the tear strip removed. Since the opening is relatively large, an accidental bump can still lead to a substantial portion of the beverage being spilled, possibly on a bystander.
Another problem that can be experienced with disposable containers of the prior art, notably those that are made from styrofoam, is that such containers may fracture if unduly squeezed, a condition that may readily occur in view of the flexible nature of the sidewalls of the container. While this condition is alleviated somewhat by virtue of the lid gripping the open end of the container, removal of the tear strip weakens the lid and increases the risk of a sidewall fracture.